Police, school warn about attempted abduction in Lake Oswego

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»Play VideoLake Oswego police responded to the area of 9th Street and C Avenue on Wednesday afternoon on a report that a man with a brown beard and driving a white van tried to lure a teenage boy into his vehicle.

It happened near the corner of 9th Street and C Avenue at about 3:30 in a residential neighborhood away from any busy streets.

Both police and school officials sent out warnings about the attempted abduction. The man was especially bold in making up a story to try to get the 14-year-old boy into his van. He claimed the boy's mother sent to pick him up. It wasn't true. The teenager escaped.

Police say the man had a brown beard and was driving a white van.

The boy was approached after walking a mile and a half toward home after classes at Lake Oswego Junior High School.

Erin Gustafson lives a few blocks from where the incident happened and was volunteering at the school when the staff learned about what had happened.

"An announcement came over from the principal to tell the children what had happened and to be aware and just to be aware of their surroundings," Gustafson said.

Lake Oswego police responded to the area. They didn't find the man or a van matching the description of the vehicle involved.

Gustafson has a closer connection to what happened than most. One of her kids rides the same bus to school as the boy who was approached by the man in the white van.

She believes Lake Oswego has taken a lot of time to teach school kids about stranger danger and that may have paid off in this disturbing case.

"It's totally disconcerting, but I feel a bit like they have some basis to how to address it and handle it," she said.

On top of the warning at school, the principal also sent a letter home with students to give parents details of what happened and remind them to have a "stranger danger" talk with their kids.

Police say the man was about 30 years old, had brown hair and was wearing a white tank top.